socalTECH

MARCH 20, 2020

Venice, California-based Robin Games , a startup that is developing mobile games aimed at women, has raised $7M in a seed funding round, the company said on Thursday. The startup, led by Jill Wilson, says it is developing "lifestyle gaming" titles, which run on such platforms as Apple's iOS and Google Android.

Seed Funding 140

Seed Funding Funding Venice Venture Capital 140

socalTECH

OCTOBER 13, 2017

Santa Monica-based VY Esports , a new startup focused on connecting esports, brands, and media companies, said on Thursday that it has raised a seed funding round. Size of the funding was not announced. Blair Ford of Raine Ventures joins the company's board as part of the funding.

Seed Funding 113

Seed Funding Funding Santa Monica Venture Capital 113

socalTECH

MARCH 20, 2020

Venice, California-based Robin Games , a startup that is developing mobile lifestyle games aimed at women and others, has raised $7M in a seed funding round, the company said on Thursday.

Seed Funding 100

Seed Funding Funding Venice Venture Capital 100

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 17, 2021

million in a pre-seed funding round for a new venture called CATCH'N Ie Cream. The new startup said that its efforts will be "much more than an ice cream shop" and include a "360 degree ice cream experience, from the moment you walk through the door to the moment you leave".

Seed Funding 113

Seed Funding Funding Los Angeles Angel 113

socalTECH

JULY 22, 2013

Encinitas-based ForwardMetrics has just taken $1M in a seed funding round, to help companies better conduct their strategic planning. The startup said that the new funding round brings its total raised to $1.75M. Source of the seed funding was not announced. READ MORE>>.

Seed Funding 252

Seed Funding Funding Metrics Venture Capital 252

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

Los Angeles-based peer-to-peer commercial real estate investment site AssetAvenue said Friday that it has raised $3M in a seed funding round. According to the company, the funding was led by Matrix Partners and NetEase, with other investors, including Vectr Ventures, Russ Meyer (Grandpoint Capital); Bam Ventures; and LaunchpadLA.

Seed Funding 178

Seed Funding Funding Venture Capital Platform 178

socalTECH

DECEMBER 13, 2022

Santa Barbara-based Beni, a startup which lets users find and buy secondhand apparel and accessories, said this morning that it has raised $5M in funding. According to the company, the funding was spit between a seed round of $4M, and earlier pre-seed and seed funding.

Software 113

Software Seed Funding Santa Barbara Startup 113

socalTECH

DECEMBER 18, 2020

A new, Los Angeles startup, Whatnot , which operates a online live stream shopping service and marketplace for collectors, said late Thursday that it had raised $4M in a seed funding round. The company said it has built an online marketplace which addresses the issues of fraudulent activity on existing marketplaces.

Seed Funding 113

Seed Funding Funding Los Angeles Design 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 22, 2021

Los Angeles-based NXCR, a new, subscription car startup led by automotive startup veteran Scott Painter, has raised $30M in a seed funding, based on an internal employee email obtained by socaltech. According to the email from Painter, the funding is the company's first external equity financing.

Seed Funding 113

Seed Funding Truecar Funding Southern California 113

TechCrunch LA

MAY 31, 2022

Bonfire Ventures , a Los Angeles venture capital firm, invests in seed-stage business-to-business software companies and aims to change the odds so that more than the average 33% of companies in this sector make it to Series A. TechCrunch: How did you and Mark Mullen start working together?

Software 163

Software Startup Funding Venture Capital 163

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 1, 2016

At the Upfront Summit in early February, we had a chance to have many off-the-record conversations with Limited Partners (LPs) who fund Venture Capital (VC) funds about their views of the market. LPs Still Believe Strongly in Venture Capital as a Diverse Source of Returns.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Capital Marketing Seed Funding 150

socalTECH

JANUARY 12, 2021

Los Angeles-based fintech startup Vesica Technologies, a developer of a product which provides information on financial markets, including daily market movements, volatility, and major trades, has raised $2.1M in a seed funding. The funding came from Mercury Digital Assets and Miami International Holdings, Inc.

Seed Funding 113

Seed Funding Tool Funding Los Angeles 113

TechCrunch LA

MAY 25, 2019

Hello and welcome back to Startups Weekly, a newsletter published every Saturday that dives into the week’s most noteworthy venture deals, fundraises, M&A transactions and trends. Let’s take a quick moment to catch up. Enter Seedlip , a non-alcoholic spirits company, for example. Founders say yes.

Startup 223

Startup Venture Capital Newsletter Tips 223

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 29, 2018

Sound Ventures , the Los Angeles-based venture capital investment firm of Ashton Kutcher, is one of the lead investors in a funding round for LearnLux , a startup which develops software that helps employees of companies with financial wellness.

Seed Funding 124

Seed Funding Venture Capital Funding Guide 124

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

On the phone … Me: So, you raised venture capital? We raised a seed round. Him: But when I raised my first round we didn’t know how to price the company. Me: There is no rational explanation for valuations of A round companies by ANY objective financial measure. About $1 million. Me: At what price?

Venture Capital 417

Venture Capital Capital Pricing Doc 417

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 1, 2010

There has been much discussion about VCs doing seed funding in the past year. I’ve written about it myself (Is VC Seed Funding Dead?) and (Is There Really a Signaling Problem with VC Seed Funding?). There is a structural reason that VCs are investing at early stages, 2.

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Seed Funding Funding Venture Capital GRP Partners 298

socalTECH

JULY 17, 2017

Los Angeles-based startup AdQuick has raised $1.1M in a seed funding round, the company said over the weekend. The funding came from Initialized Capital, and also included VTF Capital and Haystack Ventures. The company help companies buy and measure outdoor billboard advertising.

Seed Funding 113

Seed Funding Funding Advertising Los Angeles 113

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 28, 2014

I was reading Danielle Morrill’s blog post today on whether one’s “ Startup Burn Rate is Normal. I love how transparently Danielle lives her startup (& encourages other to join in) because it provides much needed transparency to other startups. But what IS the right amount of burn for a company?

Startup 383

Startup Company Companies .Net 383

socalTECH

AUGUST 13, 2019

Los Angeles-based MedAnswers , a startup which runs FertilityAnswers , an app and website which provides a resource to help match people to fertility services, as well as access to clinically and scientifically validated fertility information, has raised $5M in a seed funding round. READ MORE>>.

Seed Funding 113

Seed Funding Funding Resource Los Angeles 113

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 17, 2019

I became a VC 12 years ago in 2007 when the pace of deals was much slower. I had just left Salesforce.com where I was VP, Products, after they had acquired my second startup. It proved to be fortuitous because it allowed me the time & space I needed to get to know tons of founders and VCs and to hone my craft.

Venture Capital 223

Venture Capital IP Startup Google 223

socalTECH

MARCH 3, 2016

Santa Monica-based Mave has raised seed funding, for a yet-to-be-launched personal concierge startup, according to Fortune this morning. The new startup was founded by Emily White, a former executive of Snapchat and Instagram.

Seed Funding 100

Seed Funding Snapchat Funding Santa Monica 100

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

how on Earth could the venture capital market stand still? One of the most common questions I’m asked by people intrigued by but also scared by venture capital and technology markets is some variant of, “Aren’t technology markets way overvalued? The most connected and high-potential founders start with wads of cash.

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 16, 2010

Lots of discussion these days about the changes in the VC industry. The VC industry grew dramatically as a result of the Internet bubble - Before the Internet bubble the people who invested in VC funds (called LPs or Limited Partners) put about $50 billion into the industry and by 2001 this had grown precipitously to around $250 billion.

Venture Capital 311

Venture Capital Startup Seed Funding Rustic Canyon 311

socalTECH

APRIL 27, 2012

Six companies started by students at the University of Southern California's Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at USC Marshall have been awarded a total of $50,000 in seed funding, after competing in the center's New Venture Seed Competition held this week. providing online tutoring.

Seed Funding 244

Seed Funding USC Competition Funding 244

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 7, 2014

No VC will be so naive as not to see straight through it. ” Here’s how all the drama started for me. When I first became a VC, seed rounds were typically $500k – $1.5 A rounds back then seemed to be anywhere from $2-3 million (LA or NYC) or up to $5 million in Silicon Valley. $5 Nobody cares.

Seed Funding 399

Seed Funding Venture Capital Startup Entrepreneur 399

socalTECH

DECEMBER 15, 2017

Los Angeles-based Villiger , a startup developing a mobile app to help parents book tutors, baby sitters, and other services, has raised a seed round of funding, the company said this week. Size of that funding round was not announced. Villiger's CEO is Walton Goggins. READ MORE>>.

Seed Funding 127

Seed Funding Funding Social Network Resource 127

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

El Segundo-based Toast Labs , a new startup led by The Honest Co. veteran Ashley King, said today that it has raised a seed round of funding, and launched its first app, Dysh. Financial details of the seed funding round was not announced.

Seed Funding 100

Seed Funding El Segundo Funding Journal 100

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 3, 2010

This is part of my ongoing series on Understanding Venture Capital. I recently wrote a blog post on understanding how the size and age of a venture capital fund might affect you when you’re raising money. I believe these VC funds have suffered some amount of reputation fall out.

Venture Capital 265

Venture Capital Seed Funding Pricing Invest 265

socalTECH

MARCH 9, 2021

Los Angeles-based startup Mentorcam, which develops a video messaging platform, has raised $1.4M in a seed funding round, the company said on Tuesday. The funding was led by General Catalyst, and also included Studio VC, Kosinski Ventures, Realize Tech Fund and angels.

Seed Funding 113

Seed Funding Venture Capital Platform Los Angeles 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2023

One of the most frequent questions I get as a mentor to entrepreneurs is “How do I find the money to start my business?” On the other hand, there are many additional creative options available for starting a business that you might not find for buying a car, home, or other major consumer item. Trade equity or services for startup help.

Startup 106

Startup Capital Equity Funding 106

socalTECH

OCTOBER 15, 2015

Los Angeles-based startup Service , a new, on-demand startup looking to channel the frustration and anger of customers not happy with their customer service from other companies, has raised $3.1M in a seed funding round, the company said this week. READ MORE>>.

Seed Funding 100

Seed Funding Services Funding Customer 100

socalTECH

OCTOBER 30, 2020

Los Angeles-based SUMA Wealth , a startup which operates an online platform designed to help U.S.-born, born, Millennial Latinos with financial literacy, has raised a round of funding, the company announced this week. According to the company, it received a pre-seed funding round from a number of female investors.

Venture Capital 113

Venture Capital Funding Seed Funding Los Angeles 113

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

Most of the venture capital firms covered in TechCrunch and other tech publications compete for a spot on the cap table of the hottest Bay Area, New York or Los Angeles companies of the moment. Few seek out companies in Indianapolis, Milwaukee or Tampa. Revolution Ventures managing partner Tige Savage.

Venture Capital 211

Venture Capital Funding Seed Funding Activity 211

socalTECH

JANUARY 6, 2022

Calabasas-based Labrador Systems, a startup developing assistive robots for the disabled, has raised $3.1M in a seed funding, the company said this week. The funding was led by Amazon's Alexa Fund and iRobot Ventures, and also included SOV and Grep VC.

Calabasas 113

Calabasas Seed Funding Venture Capital Activity 113

TechCrunch LA

MAY 23, 2019

The Los Angeles ecosystem is $76 million stronger today as Fika Ventures , a seed-stage venture capital firm, announces its sophomore investment fund. Fika invests roughly half of its capital exclusively in startups headquartered in LA, with a particular fondness for B2B, enterprise and fintech companies.

Funding 218

Funding Startup Seed Funding Los Angeles 218

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 15, 2010

We started this week’s show with a Q&A session where I answered viewer questions about fund raising and the VC industry. Heck, stick around and watch me discuss the seed funding debate that is going on right now and what is happening in the VC industry overall. Don’t.

Venture Capital 210

Venture Capital Seed Funding Pricing Southern California 210

socalTECH

OCTOBER 18, 2018

A "complete nightmare" experience by two LA tourists, lugging their luggage around town after checking out of their Airbnb, has spawned a new startup with links to Techstars. The funding round came from Ingwe Capital, ff Venture Capital, Techstars, and several angel investors. READ MORE>>.

Seed Funding 113

Seed Funding Startup Venture Capital Los Angeles 113